Rock picking machine



Aug. 23, 194-9. BOYLAN ROCK PICKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.2, 1948 INVENTOR. law/arm? Bay/gm ATTORNEY.

Aug. 23, 1949. Y L. BOYLAN 2,479,719

ROCK PI CKING MACHINE F led Jan 8 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR.jaw/e44"? Bay/4 Arrogqsy.

Aug. 23, 1949. L. BOYLAN ROCK PICKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJan. 2, 1948 w: Mm QQ INVENTOR.

law/"am? E /4 JlTTOR/VEY- Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ROCK PICKING MACHINE Lawrence Boylan, Grants Pass, Oreg.

Application January 2, 1948, Serial No. 23

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a clearing machine and is particularly designedto clear oii stones lying on or embedded in the surface of the ground toprepare it for cultivation or for other purposes.

In many areas the surface of the ground is thickly strewn with stones ofvarious sizes and the work of clearing away the stones, loose roots andother loose rubbish is quite heavy work since although the individualsize of the stones and rubbish may not be large their numbernecessitates the removal of heavy loads and many trips by several groupsof men who are necessary to load the trucks. It will be evident alsothat the constant stooping of the men to free the stones and thenstraightening up to throw the rock by hand is very tiring and cannot belong continued without spells for rest.

It is a principal object of my invention to provide a vehicular machineby which the Work of freeing the stones from the ground and dumping themin a receptable, which may be a truck, is mechanically effected so thatthe only manual labor is that involved in driving the machine over theground to be cleared and in driving the trucks into which the rocks aredumped to and from the scene of operations.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a ground clearingmachine fitted with stationary racks effective to dislodge stones lyingon and embedded in the surface of the ground and arranged to feed thedislodged stones to moving belt type or other driven conveyor meansoperating to dump the stones in a receptacle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ground clearingmachine having stone dislodging rakes delivering the stones totravelling conveyor means driven from a wheel axle of the machine.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a stone gatheringmachine having conveyor means extending beyond the frame of the machineto dump the stones into a truck or wheeled receptacle moved along withthe machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stone gatheringmachine provided with a travelling type conveyor projecting beyond theframe of the machine, the conveyor being swingable through an are sothat while in normal operation stones may be dumped to one side of theconveyor the latter may if desired be swung into line to the rear of themachine without interrupting the operation of the drive for theconveyor.

Still further features and objects of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention at presentpreferred by me but it is to be understood that various changes in andrearrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as intended to be defined bythe appended claims. I

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the assembled machine of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail cross sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 of aspecial form of scraper tooth used in the material gathering elements ofthe machine.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a number of scraper teeth mountedin a scraper member.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail showing the character of adjustmentprovided for stone collecting rakes fitted in my machine.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Fig.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 1-1 of Fig.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Fig.

Fig. 9 is a cross section on the line 9-9 of Fig.

Fig. 10 is a cross section on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevation of the side plate for directing rocksfrom the first to the second rake.

Fig. 12 is a cross section of Fig. 11 taken at the connection of theplate and its resilient supports.

In the drawings numeral l0 indicates the machine arranged as a trailerwhich may be hauled over the ground by a. tractor vehicle such as shownat I2 but it is to be understood that the machine may be provided withits own propelling and operating power if preferred, but as shown in thedrawings the machine is arranged to be operated by drive means rotatedby the back wheels and indicated at M (Fig. 6). The machine comprises aframe l6 of sturdy construction provided with front wheels l8 and rearwheels 20 and 2|. In actual practice the front wheels would be arrangedwith a wide steering angle to enable the vehicle to make sharp turns butthis feature, being understood in agricultural and constructionalmachines is not illustrated.

On the frame '16 toward its forward end is mounted a diagonally arrangedfront rake 22 with the tips of its teeth 24 adjustably positioned withrespect to the ground by means later described.

The teeth 24 are advantageously formed with a relatively sharp point andthickened butt portion 26 recessed to receive a nut 28 and hold itagainst turning movement. The teeth 24 are adjustably mounted in anobliquely arranged rake bar 30 provided on its underside with aplurality of sockets or a single channel 32.,shapedto receive the buttends-of the teeth and hold Ethemagainst any turning movement. The teethare held in the sockets 32 or channel 32 by means of square headed bolts34 passed through holes ..drilled through the rake bar 30 and holesdrilled through the butts of the rake teeth andengaged-dngthe nuts 28.Preferably I provide a bolt head lock plate 36 provided with a channelsd-which isa snug fit over the square heads of bolts .34- when thelatter have been aligned. The plate 36 is itself s ured) to th' tepnfthe ,rakabar Slhxm studs 40. v

The teeth flaram ierah 'f rmed f e-proje p ywa d 9 th i -butt. en s toex a Strong gigging up or un arthin a t nn pn oq s embedded or lying ose on t e pt pi It will be not-edthat; withthe described arrangement ofthe rake teeth in the rake :bar, the setting of the teeth in'thebarcannot become slackenedhowever violent the-shocks and-vibration to whichthe rack barand'teetlraresubj ected, since no relative movement of thepartsca-n occur.

The spacing of theteethmay be varied by removing the plate 36 andextracting thebolts 34 and positioning the teeth-in the channel 32=sothat the holes through the'-butts--alig-n with the holes through thebartfl at-the desire'dspacing, and then securing them in position. Inorder to adjust the height f the teeth- I have shown the ends of therake bar secured to the iower ends of vertical standards-s42 the upperends ofawhich are carried on the plungers 44 of hydraulic ramsllifimounted: onathe: frame: ofsthe :machine; hydraulic flu-id being suppliedunder-theplungersibyxpipes 38 and manually-controlled valizesfifl'fromia; (not shown) -Fig. 551showsithezdirectionzofimovement. of therack r-teeth with-adjustment.- of the hydraulic rams. Badiusrrods 5.2are indicated and arranged ,to tak h drag: on the :rakebar, the ends.oirth r d -ifigimaya eeeeured .ipi o aillv between the verticalstandards and the frame-1:5 fo rd o th z ash hs enotesi at at-t r a wd-endQtih ara e; s acezii dicatai a is provided so that rocks collectedby the in rake 22 and .working along therearwardlieinclined ralgewillpass through the spaqasa, wl

. Arranged behindfthei frontirakelflaaback rake 6 is ar n ed to en a eithc' mocks passin th ou 11 6 The ak marin mo nted and arranged in allrespects simil'afly-to rake 22 except that it -is --sl opeddiagonallyacross the frame of the machine in the opposite direction to the latterrakelzefoi: this reason the pa'rts are mountedandfladiustedusimilarlyeaand :have i been indicated by similar-numeralswitiiaprimaadded asifor; the frontrakefithe mocks-worked acrossathe ackrak teeth armd lire s w riend o -a $09 which sis r dn ,Wthatastherockstrea h e d; 58 they-are caught by anupwardly ,i-nclin tonveyor belt .60. A sideplate 6i isarran-gd V reventrfocksirom beingthrown ot er the: 'ayYbfithefbackrakh and i adiustably mQuI ed under.resilientjten ion by double act ns'sn nss 61a en asediben e n f ame I6. and bracketsffi bi se redimi r a I,

chine frame as shown in Fig. 6 to ensure proper cooperation of the scoopand lower end of belt and to prevent jamming of the rocks at this point.The mounting means comprise a bracket 62 carried on the side frame ofthe machine and bolts 63 extending through the forward vertical side ofthe scoop. Helical springs 64 are arranged between the bracket and theside of the scoop, by the desired construction the: end.=;of .-the scoopI aligned withconveyorbelt 60 may give when'znecessary to allow rocks ofunusally large size or two or more rocks caught between the angle ironlifts 66 of the cpnveyor to be carried between the end of the beltan'dthe upturned edge of the scoop. The sides est-are suitablymounted toextend along the upper lift of the conveyor to prevent the rocks being--carried upwardly thereon from being jolted off.

The front belt conveyor 60 is mounted on lower sprockets l0 and theupper sprockets 12. The belt conveyor is driven by means laterdescribed.

' It is to be understood that 'I may prefer to arrangesuitable'transfer'means to raise the rocks frorrrthe upper end of thescoop onto the belttll if found desirable. 7

Books reaching the upper end of conveyor belt 66 are dropped onto alaterally extending conveyor belt Mwhichis sloped upwardffrom whichthey'may be delivered into a vehicle '15 or any suitable-container forconveyance to a dump or other point. The conveyor '14 is mounted oninner sprockets'lt and outersprockets 80 carried .on a frame 132carrying sides I6 and arranged for swinging movement about a verticaltubular pivot 8%. A track'tii in the form-of a quadrant isarran-ged -tosupport-the frame 82 for movement from aposition variable'between apointiextending laterally from one sideeof the frame Hi and extending inline to the rearaof the frame. The

. track-:86 mayibe formed from @a length of channel The scoopESisadjustab-ly mountedon thema- 76 material forming. a runway forcastors BB carried in upright 9t connected to .theframe 82. 'Anysuitable. locking means .to' hold the frame in adjustedposition onv.thetrack may be provided,-as for instance a lever 9 I, pivoted on aframe 82- and having'a .detent 9 let-adapted to-engagein notches cut in;the :upstanding wall of". the track 86. Both conveyor belts are drivenfrom the lineaxleBZ of the rearwheels of the machine.

A, sleeve 93 is mounted on'the. live axle and a driving sprocket -94 forthe laterally extending conveyor M-and adriving sprocket .96 for thefrontconveyorbelt are-secured to a sleeve=92. The driven memberrfliiof-a cone .clutchfis-also secured to the sleeve 93 while-the drivingmember 1 lJlLof the'clutch is slidably. mounted .onthe axle 9!) by meansof a/keyQLUZ engagingin akeyway in the member 180. The driving memberofthe clutch is slidableinto and outof engagement by means "ofaclutcheiigagiiig"forkT64 pivoted on abracket llltmountedon the frame-l6and .op erated. by a push-pullir'od l .08 operable from the frontofthemachine, The drive is transmitted through achain l l'll,j drivensprocketillz, shaft H4," bevel gears H6, r'n'ount'edon the shaft I'Man'd verticalsh'aift l I! carriedwvithin'the'tubular pivot 84 and abevelgear atthe upper end of shaft I H engaging 'anddriving the innersprocket '18 Qf the conveyor M. The "drive for "the front conveyor belt60 is transmitted from 's-procket96'bythe driving chain H8 to adrivingsprocket (not'shown) -mounted on the shaft-of sprocket 10. t

-It will 'beevident that I have provided aruggedand simplyconstructed-rock gathering machine capable of withstanding the-heavywork required of equipment for clearing rock and debris covered land forcultivation or building purposes.

I claim:

1. A ground clearing machine comprising: a vehicular frame; means formoving said vehicular frame over the surface of the ground; a front rakediagonally mounted on said vehicular frame so that the teeth of the rakeat the rforward end engage with the ground ahead of the teeth at therearward end; and a second rake diagonally mounted on the frame andstaggered with respect to the front rake so that the teeth at theforward end thereof engage the rocks passing off the rearward end of thefront rake; conveyor means receiving the rocks passing off the rearwardend of the second end and conveying them to a receptacle; and meanscarried by the frame effective to operate said conveyor means, and inaddition comprising, a plate positioned to extend vertically in thedirection of the vehicular frame and spaced from the rearward end of thefront rake but adjacent the forward end of the second rake, andresilient means adjustably mounting saidplate on the frame in contactwith the ground in position to ensure that rocks passing off therearward end of the front rake are engaged by the forward end of thesecond rake.

2. A ground clearing machine comprising; a vehicular frame; means formoving said vehicular frame over the surface of the ground; a front rakediagonally mounted on said vehicular frame so that the teeth of the rakeat the forward end engage with the ground ahead of the teeth at therearward end; and a second rake diagonally mounted on the frame andstaggered with respect to the front rake so that the teeth at theforward end thereof engage the rocks passing 01f the rearward end of thefront rake; conveyor means receiving the rocks passing off the rearwardend of the second rake and conveying them to a receptacle; a scoopmember mounted on the rframe and positioned to receive rocks :passingoff the rearward end of the second rake and eifective to guide saidrocks into engagement with said conveyor means; and [means carried bythe vehicular frame effective to operate said conveyor means, and inaddition comprising a member positioned to receive rocks dislodged fromthe ground andmove them into position to be acted on by the conveyormeans, and resilient members adjustably mounting said member on thevehicular frame to prevent rocks becoming jammed therein.

LAWRENCE BOYLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,304,156 Chase et a1 May 20,1919 1,406,063 Nagy Feb. '7, 1922 1,554,376 Schrag Sept. 22, 19251,593,952 Ribbans July 27, 1926 1,713,952 Darr May 21, 1929 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 4,326/26 Australia Oct. 18, 1927

